Meet The Parents
by The Willow Maiden
Summary: Remus had a whole list of reasons why Nymphadora shouldn't want to be with him. Unfortunately there was one he had missed.


**Disclaimer: I do not, nor will I ever own any of the Harry Potter characters. Please don't sue me for having some fun with them.**

**Written for The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition's Chudley Cannons**

**My Character is Nymphadora (Thanks to Maggie for choosing her for me XD) **

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"Just relax. She'll like you, I know it."

"Are you sure?, how do you know?"

"She's my mother. I just know."

This was the third time she'd caught him watching his shoes as he walked, a habit she knew was reserved for when he was nervous. Tonks almost rolled her eyes as Remus gave her a piercing stare, as if he was trying to see past her eyes and into her very mind. Knowing what he was up to, she instead sent back a wave of reassurance and love before looking away. The last thing she wanted was for him to see all of her fear.

Tonks was sure she had no need for her fear, but despite this, she still felt it. Today was the long awaited moment she had both dreaded and looked forward to with fevered excitement for months now. This was the moment she would introduce the love of her life to her mother.

Andromeda Tonks had always been a kind hearted woman. She spent her life helping everyone around her in what her daughter suspected was an attempt to make up for the sins of her family. Her sisters. So many people had been hurt so deeply, Andromeda felt the weight of those wrongs every day of her life.

As a girl, Andromeda Black had been quiet and polite. Always obeying her father, her mother had nothing but praise for her youngest. As she grew older, however, she started to drift away. Her sisters were going places she could not follow, and it became harder and harder to please her parents. Withdrawing into her studies, she resolved to please her parents that way. A healer was an honorable profession, they would be pleased.

Bellatrix and Narcissa had no such worries. The head of the house of Black was endlessly proud of his eldest, and no one could brag about a daughter more than Narcissa was bragged about by her mother. Feeling more and more forgotten, she found love somewhere else. Somewhere that eventually led to her disowning. She fell in love with a muggle. Ted Tonks.

Knowing about her mother's past, Nymphadora could see two possible outcomes of this meeting. One which would make her endlessly happy, and one which she would rather not think about yet. The most likely was that Andromeda would welcome Remus with open arms. He was an honest man with a good heart. Very much the type she had always wanted for her daughter. It was only a voice in the back of her mind that reminded her of the other option.

"She was raised a pureblood. Their hate for werewolves runs deep. She will never accept him."

These dark thoughts were undoubtedly what was haunting Remus, but they were false and she needed to reassure him, and herself. Just then they turned a corner, and Tonks felt a wave of peace wash over her as she gazed upon the stone cottage, her home. It was as if the dark thoughts had disappeared instantly, she was suddenly aware of the stillness of the beautiful evening, and the loveliness of the quiet. She smiled over her shoulder at her partner as she opened the gate and invited him up the pebble pathway.

"Welcome to my home, Love." She gave him a quick peck on the lips as he took her arm in his and together they made their way to the front door. Tonks noticed the slow and careful way Remus walked, but made no comment. She would allow him whatever comfort he could get.

It only took a moment for the door to open after she knocked, and when Andromeda saw her daughter on the arm of an older man, she almost frowned, but then noticed her daughters pleading eyes and smiled.

"Come in dears, it's so cold out there."

Tonks stepped in and pulled her arm from Remus' in order to embrace her mother. After a minute she let go.

"Mum, this is Remus Lupin. Remus, my mother; Andromeda Tonks."

"It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am."

"The pleasure is mine," she nodded. Come in, come in. Warm yourselves by the fire."

She stepped aside and gestured for them to enter, before closing the door behind them and following them to the lounge. It was a spacious room, with comfortable armchairs and couches, and a beautiful coffee table in the middle. An ornately carved arch lead into the kitchen and dining room, and a small corridor led to the bedrooms and other rooms of the cottage. It was small, but cosy, and very homely. It was as much of a mix between muggle and magical as Remus could have imagined, with both a tv and a magical radio sitting on the table near the hearth.

Tonks lead him over to her favourite couch, and they sat down with Andromeda opposite. There was a bit of an awkward silence before Tonks asked;

"Where's Dad? Is he here?"

"No dear, I thought I told you, he's ata meeting. Some muggle business I still don't understand." Here she smiled before she moved onto Remus. "Now, I know this seems rude, but I must ask; how old are you?"

Remus opened his mouth to answer, but before he could get a word in her was cut across.

"Mum, Remus' age is not relevant. He is older than me yes, but that is nothing of importance. Age should never matter when it comes to love. Anyway we have more important things to discuss. Like what Remus is going to tell you now." Tonks finished her little speech with a nudge as she looked at her boyfriend expectantly. Taking a deep breath, Remus spoke.

"I'm a werewolf."

The silence that followed this statement was thick and oppressing. The thoughts of earlier came slamming back into the minds of the couple as they waited with baited breath.

"Does that explain why you look at least fifty?"

The humour in Andy's voice was impossible to miss, and soon the group were laughing and joking and generally having a good time. So much so that they hardly noticed the time fly by until the front door opened and Ted came home. The three occupants of the lounge looked shocked and turned to the clock. It was 11:30pm.

"Oh, hello Dora. Who's this?"

"Dad, this is Remus Lupin. He's my partner, and a werewolf."

There was no chance for a silence this time as Andy spoke up,

"Oh Merlin, let's not start this again!" And soon the three were laughing again and Ted joined in. It was Tonks who decided it was most definitely time for dinner, and do she went into the kitchen to prepare something, ny=uch to the horror of her father, and left poor Remus on his own with her parents. The silence came back, but this time it wasn't awkward. It was Ted Tonks who spoke first.

"Well, how long have you been together, and what are your plans for the future, and how did you get together, and-"

"Dad! Let him speak for Merlin's sake!" Remus only laughed.

We've been together for a few months, we have no plans as of yet, and we got together when she had asked me so many times I just couldn't say no any longer."

Ted's mumbled "That sounds like Dora" was quickly followed by Tonks yelling

"Hey!" From the kitchen. Andy just laughed. Her Ted and Dora were just so similar, and they both seemed to really like Remus. He was a nice man, and he clearly respected her. She would be well cared for.

The family plus one enjoyed a nice midnight dinner before the younger couple decided it was time to head back to Headquarters. They said their farewells and headed out into the cold. Instead of feeling cold and hurrying to get home, they instead felt a warm rush of relief and affection. The release of tension in the air was so refreshing that the couple briefly forgot where they were and found themselves in each others arms, kissing like nothing else mattered.

Their moment of peace was sadly disturbed when Andromeda remembered she had forgotten to tell them something and the door swung open.

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**Thanks for reading. Please let me know what you think. Any suggestions for improvement are very welcome. **


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